1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mount for mechanically supporting and electrically connecting a plurality of light-emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as “LED”) chips, and more specifically to a support mount used in an LED light module and including an insulative substrate and a lead frame embodied in the insulative substrate by pre-molding.
2. Description of the Related Art
Because of the advantages of long lifespan, small size, low heat generation and power consumption, quick response time and variety in luminant color, LED lights are intensively used nowadays in advertisement boards, traffic signals, car lights, display panels, communication equipments, and consumer electronic products. Conventionally, LED lighting units are made by the steps of spacedly mounting a plurality of LED chips in rows on a lead frame, electrically and respectively connecting the LED chips to the lead frame by bonding wires, respectively encapsulating the LED chips by epoxy resin, and cutting the lead frame into a plurality of individuals each having leads of the lead frame extending out of the encapsulant. Thereafter, one or more LED lighting units can be mechanically supported on and electrically connected with a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as “PCB”) by soldering the exposed leads to the printed circuit board in a reflow soldering process, such that the power for lighting on the LED chips can be supplied thereto through the PCB. In order to provide sufficient luminance, a plurality of LED lighting units, eight or sixteen LED lighting units for example, may be arranged in series or in parallel on a single PCB to form an LED light module.
As indicated above, the method of making the conventional LED light module, involving the package process for encapsulating the LED chips and the surface mount technology for electrically mounting the packaged LED lighting units to the PCB, is complicated. In addition, the packaged LED light units may be damaged due to the high temperature in the reflow soldering process.